Valve for compressors and the like



Oct. 5, 1937. ,1, F, KQWAN VALVE FOR coMPREssoRs AND THE LIKE Filed Deo. 8, 1936 y @tofu/MAP www, m, 23,; .ww

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Patented Oct. 5, 1937 VALVEv FORV COMPRESSOR/S AND THE LIKE Joseph Frank Kowan, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada Application December 8, 1936, Serial No. 114,824

In Canada December 30, 1935 1' claim. (C1. 251-146) The valves disclosed herein are intended to be used as discharge'valves for a compressor, and they are characterized by their simplicity of construction and accessibility for repair or re- 10 placement. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide valves of the above character which are adapted to operate effectively over a long period of time without repair, the working parts of the valves l and the valve actuating means being shielded from the gases being controlled. l

A further object of the invention is to provide valves of the above character, including means for balancing the same during the actuation 20 thereof, as well as means for cushioning the movements of the valves from and toward their seats, so that the valves are substantially noiseless.

Another object of the invention is to provide a 25 valve assembly for compressors and the like which will permit adjustment of the iiow area from the compressor depending upon the capacity of the machine.

Various other objects and advantages of the 30 invention disclosed herein will be apparent as the specication progresses.

In the drawing, which is illustrative of two forms of the invention, which drawing is in no sense restrictive:

35 Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the valve assembly of the present invention, showing the cylinder in which the assembly is mounted in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken 40 Yalong the line 2 2 of Figure l; l

Figure 3 is a partial vertical sectional view of a modied form of the valve assembly.

Referring to Figure 1, the cylinder or casing of the compressor or the like is shown at l0, the cylindrical interior of said compressor being counter-bored at the upper end thereof as at I2 to provide a chamber of greater diameter than the interior diameter of the cylinder proper.

Where the counterbore debouches from the main bore, an annular shoulder I4 is formed, said shoulder being adapted to retain the valve assembly of the present invention against inward movement as will hereinafter appear. 'I'he upper end 55 ofthe cylinder or casing is provided with a top member or head I6, which may be of ordinary construction.

Mounted within the counter-bore I2 of the cylinder is the valve assembly, which includes a cylindrical valve block I8 housing a plurality of valve members 26, said valve members controlling the flow of4 fluid from the-interior of the compressor to the discharge lines. V,

The valve members are carriedwithin a plurality of valve chambers comprising cylindrical bores 22 which extend through the valve block, each bore having a conical ledge 24 just above the inner end thereof, which constitutes a .valve seat. Y y

In Figures 1 and 2; I have shown the valve block equipped with ve valve chambers land corresponding valve members, one chamber being located in the center of the cylindrical block, while the other bores are disposed a quadrants distance apart around the block between th center and periphery thereof.

Connecting the chambers 22 and providing out- Y let passages from the compressor, are two diametrical passages 26 and 28, which extend entirely through the valve block, said passages being at right angles to one another and meeting at the centrally disposed bore or chamber. The outer Yperiphery of the valve block is cut away between the top and bottom thereof to provide an annular manifold 3G between the block and the inner wall of the counter-bore l2, said chamber being bounded at its upper and lower ends by the iianges 32 and 34, respectively, said circular flanges being finely machined to fit in sealing engagement with the wall of the counter-bore.

Suitable outlets 36 are provided through the cylinder wall, which outlets may connect with conduits to convey the fluid to any desired point. Each valve member is of spool-like configuration and comprises a head 33 including an outwardly disposed substantially square extension having a conical inner face for engagement with the valve seat 24, and a hollow cylindrical valve stem 40 extending outwardly within the chamber 22,;the

valve stem terminating at its outer end in an annular flange 44 comprising a guiding head which may be equipped with an external groove provided with a sealing ring 46, to prevent the fluid being discharged from passing beyond said flange. f

The hollow interior of the valver stem fits around and is guided by a hollow guide sleeve 5B, which terminates at its outer end in a threaded plug closure or head 52 which is screwed into the 'Outer end of the bore22. Disposed within "7b Y from the-cylinder Vis discharged. Furthermore, all'oithe iiuid'discharged passes radially through pressor.

the guide sleeve 50' and the valve stem 40 is valve actuating means comprisingY a springr 54,V which serves to retul'nthe valve t0 its seat 'at Vthe termination of thestroke of the piston'of theV com- 'Ihis spring is held between theouter Yface of the valve head 38Vandthe inner face of the guide stern head 52.7 Y Y Y The valve stemV and guide .stem together' de-v lineV a'vacuurn-p'ress'ureeV chamber 53 to cushion the'valve during its operation-in Va manner hereinafter described. Toaugment the effectrof the spring 54, a second spring 56 may be provided Ysurrounding the guide stem i5!)VV and ,idisposedfbe-f tween the guideV stem head4 52 and the valve stem head Y44.V Y

Itj will be noted that theinnerlpressure area:

ofthe valve stem 'headsV within the ,chamberY '22 is substantially equal tofthe outer `'pressure 'l area ofthe valv'zhead 38, so that when the valveis moved Afrom its seat bypressure of huid Within 'the-cylinderf thef ,outward 'pressure onf the ivalve member againsthead YVIM Will be. substantially vequal `to theY inward pressure on the valve hea L 38,resulting Vina 'balancedV valve eiect.

inposition,"a retaining Vcap '60.i'sfthreaded onto V VVVfthe outer end'ojf theva'lve block. Eachof theY 'reirietain the .above deseribeaV valve members guide stem heads V5211's'prei/ideawana relatively 'small' aperture Vlil extending therethrough, said apertures opening into fanannulargroove 676Vin the'binnerjface ofthe retainin'gfcap 60. e Connectfinge with the annular `groove 66,at Vdiametrically e Vl'ils'i'tepo'rts,eare a; pair .'f Vrelatively small: pas--V sagesVV epassinglthrou'gh'the cap. Passages '64, Y 6G-and -68`prov'ide arestricted'channel of ilowV Lfor cushioning fluidiro'm andY to the chambers 122. @The cap member '60 Vis alsof provided on its -outer face with an annular'groove' 10 tor'eceive arelatively fheavy spring 12, the outer end ofrsaid -sprin`g`=f engaging V"the cylinder head Y, I6. YThis f spring retains the Vvalve assembly in position at V'der I4.'V o Y Y In operation, andV when Vpressure is Vfapplied Y ftaneouslylifted from their seats`and' fluid willv the outer endof theA cylinder against Ythe shoul- Within tlelc'ylinder against the lower Vfaceof the vvalve-block, alljof the valves 20Y will beV simulp'assbinto the chambers V22and passages 726' and 28 lof the -valve assembly]andoutwardly-towardV 570 A-thfe perimeter thereof; Vto Ythe annularj'manifold 30, then outwardly through the openings 36in 'the 'wallet thecylinder.v By `reason of the square contour of'thevalve heads-38, theflow olfiiuid Y throughfthe valvesQ-will be'V free .Y *557 each `valve member leaves its seat:

'when 'each'fthe valves Vis lifted, fillid the' cushioning chamber 53 fiorlnedVV by. theS-valve' stem Vand valve'yguidewill be'compressed thus Vonthe upper sideoithe valve heads 38.; l jIt willgbe evident that the strokeof thepiston may-besuch thatjsubstantially all of the fluid l the valvevblockand none-ifjit YisY trapped inthe 7 Y v upperrend ofthe cylinder. n 4

f "'Whenthe discharge Voperation oi'the valve has v 'Y seat.

through the'passages 64, 66 and 68. Y Y Y "It will be vnoted that bothof the springs 54 and 'vvith'ligure fl. A Y Y "provided with a relatively. largehead 88 threaded into' the valve block at the upper end ofV bore 82,

atH the i instant within Vthrough the `head 88.

threadedexter'iorly onto the Vguide head 88 to lokY theY samewithin the -v'alve block. Suitable open#V terminated, and the pressure below the same has dropped by reason of the discharge, the springs 54V and VV5'6 serve to returnv each valveV to its seat. VThis return movement Willnot be so rapid asto cause suiiicient impactV of the valve member with its seat to result in noisy operation, due tothe chamber 573, it `being evident that upon inward movement of each valve 4member, a partial'vacuum will result'in said chamber, thus retarding the movement of e thefvalve vmember towards Vits KVvacuum effect rcaused within the cushioning` Thisvretardationwill not be pronounced enough to cause an undesirablelag in the returnof the Valve member vto its seat, due to the fact'YV :that fluid will be slowly drawn intorrchamber 53 56 are enclosed, Vthe formerwithinthe chamber 53 formed by the valve stern and valve guide, and the latter within the bore 22 above the valve vstern lhead 44, iso that VtheV fluidi or Ygases VYfrom the compressor Vcannot contact withl said'jsprings,

vand resulting injurious eiects on said springs are Y prevented. Furthermore, the fluid utilized within the chamber 53 for the cushioning eifecteisnot drawn from the chamber 22 orthe passages V20 and 28, -and :consequently ,theV springV 554 is not injuriously aiected.f'-'The vvalveV stem head Vand seal 46 prevent the discharged huid from conA` Y .taminating' the; `guiding surfaces betweenthe )valve stem 40 and valve'guide 50,; By'reason of the Vi"ac'tth'at the chambers 53'are not Vconnected valves `are being lifted rfrom their seats, at which Vtimeit is desirable to have a pressure eiectink said chamber. Y, Y Y

y In Figurel 3 a modijcation'ofthe invention-is Vmanner, similar to that 4described in y connection Each" hollow valve guidel 8611s andl this head is recessed centrally at lll)l to refceive a nut Vthreaded onto a spring adjusting screw -Y "92, whichSi's in turn rthreaded throughV the head 88. adjusting screw extends into vthe cushion-V mth jtneeuuet'passagesfzs andza` for the fluid, f Ythere i's'nov tendency fortlfie vrapid rush of V'gases outwardly-through these passages causinga 'vac-V 35' i uum eiect Within the chambers 53@when"theV 'i 4b disclosed*in whiclifayalve blockV 80 Yis provided "with a plurality of cylindricalV valveeybores n82#V ffor the receptionV of the valve members'84 in'fthe Ving chamber defined bythe interiorof the valve r Y stem and valve-guide andeng'ages afollower l94 carried upon the outer endof a valve spring 96, Whi'chspring at its inner'e'ndV engages the outer face'ofrthe valve member asV previously described in connection with*Figurel.` Asin the former embodiment,V the cushioning chamber Vis provided with an outlet passage 98 which'extends YAflocking ring |00 VVis ings or other devices may be provided inthe upfacilitate removal and insertion of the guide.v

The operation of this 'embodimentv is substan- Vper faces of the ringY |00 and theblockf, to.; 'Y

tially similar t0` the preferred embodiment disclosed in` Figure 1.,.in that the valve'is moved Vfrom the force of .the spring, 96.- iThe interior ofthe provide a'vacuum-pressure chamber Ato cushion the operation'. of the valve,and it will be notedV Vthat the valve is balanced by the' inner Vface of `thrva'lve stemhead,V which provides a pressure Aits seat by pressure and: is returned toits seat by Q .Y Y 7o valvestemand Vthe interior of Ythe valve Vguide f area to counter-act the pressure eiect on the outer face of the valve member 84.

It will be evident that the valve members of the present invention provide a construction of eX- treme simplicity, and one outstanding in its accessibility to permit repair or replacement of any of the valve members. The entire valve asembly may easily be removed from the cylinder and any one or all of the valve members repaired or replaced as desired.

The valve assembly disclosed herein may be used in association with a compressor or the like of any capacity, and the total area of iiow through the valves may be regulated by permanently closing any one or a number of them; this` operation being performed by substituting a solid bar or spacer for the spring 5d extending between the valve member and the valve guide head, so that the desired valve or valves will be permanently 20 retained upon their seats.

block in said casing and closing 01T the upper Y portion thereof so that a top chamber bounded upwardly by said casing head is provided, said valve block having a vertical bore therethrough and a discharge passage communicating with said bore intermediate the ends of the latter, an annular valve seat at the lower end of said bore, a valve member in said bore and comprising a hollow stem provided at one end with a solid head for cooperation with said seat and at the other end with an annular ange, said flange being slidably guided in said bore and the opposed surfaces of said flange and head having substantially the same area, a closure for the upper end of said bore carrying a sleeve in coaxial relation with the latter andrslidably engaged in said hollow stem to guide the latter, and a compression spring enclosed in said stem and sleeve and bearing with its ends against said closure and said head respectively, said closure being provided with a small passage which extends from its outer surface to its lower surface within said sleeve whereby the interior of the latter is placed in communication with said chamber, said chamber being isolated from said bore and passage.

JOSEPH FRANK KOWAN. 

